Winter's Curse
by ThisCatalyst'sPen
Summary: During an especially cold winter, Casey invites the turtles out to the farmhouse, and out of the frozen sewers. During an early morning walk, Raphael soon finds out that it may have been safer to stay in the sewers…
1. Chapter 1

~Winter's Curse~

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**Summary:** During an especially cold winter, Casey invites the turtles out to the farmhouse, and out of the frozen sewers. During an early morning walk, Raphael soon finds out that it may have been safer to stay in the sewers…

**Disclaimer: **I do not own TMNT. All rights belong to their respective owners.

**A/n: **Just a little idea that popped into my head. Should only be a short story, around 5 or 6 chapters. Hopefully this small piece should get my inspiration back so I can work on my other stories.

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**Chapter One**

There was nothing but darkness all around him; a cold, numbing darkness that froze him solid. Bubbles escaped his mouth and travelled up, up, up towards the surface. His lungs burned with fire despite the cold that had him trapped. His arms flayed uselessly in the black water that was pressed in all around him. He was sinking, his body slowly being dragged towards the endless bottom. He couldn't breathe, couldn't hold his breath any longer. His mouth opened and a wave of darkness consumed him, making him cough and choke on the dark water. He was suffocating, drowning. His mind registered the fact before his eyes, heavy with fatigue, slipped closed as his body went numb and the world went black.

* * *

Raphael growled in annoyance as more snow slipped off the naked branches of a birch tree and dripped down the back of his neck. Raphael hated snow. He hated how cold it was. He hated how wet it was. He hated having to wear oversized clothes in it. He hated the way his feet sunk into it, and he hated the way it covered everything. He hated the whiteness of it. He hated the way it was running down his neck, cold and icy, making him shiver.

Glaring with detest at his fluffy gloved hands, Raphael scanned his surroundings, which looked exactly the same as the surroundings he had been in one hundred metres before.

"Stupid snow," Raphael muttered, turning back in the direction of the farm house.

Winter was always a terrible time for the turtles. Even with Donatello's heaters and generators, the lair was still freezing, despite how many worn and tattered blankets they covered themselves in. The stone walls seeped with cold, and the water turned to chunks of ice. The plumbing froze and they were often left with no electricity. Even now, at the stellar age of sixteen, the four brothers often found themselves curling up against each other for warmth, like they had done when they were children.

Michelangelo was the most susceptible to getting colds and the flu at this time of year, and Master Splinter's aged joints protested loudly against the freezing weather. So this year, when winter rolled around, Casey invited them out to his family's farmhouse, two hours outside of New York. The old, wooden house, despite its age and leaking roof and rusted pipes, offered a warm and dry night's sleep for everybody. Every morning Raphael and Casey would stomp outside in their snowshoes and cut up more firewood for the much loved fireplace. They would come inside, arms full of kindling, and start the fire early in the morning to warm the house up, checking it every few hours. Leonardo and Master Splinter had helped set up beds and blankets for each of them in the living room, in front of the large fireplace. Donatello was hard at work fixing all the old plumbing and attempting to fix the old generator. Mikey and April spent most of the day in the kitchen, baking warm bread from scratch, cooking soup, and making up mugs of hot chocolate.

They had been at the farmhouse for just over two weeks now, and despite the freedom and open air, Raphael was starting to miss the feeling of running without being hampered by snow.

He woke up early this morning, earlier than usual, feeling restless. The clock on the wall read 4:30. Around him, Don and Mikey slept soundly, the occasional snore coming from Mikey. Leo's bed was already made, and Raph knew that he was probably meditating somewhere, or getting in some extra practise.

As quietly as he could, Raphael slipped on his snow clothes, pulled on his snow boots, and pulled the front door open. The sky was still dark, tinged with a deep purple and littered with stars. The air was cold and Raphael could see his breath misted in the air in front of him. It hadn't snowed last night, but the twelve inches of snow from the other day reflected like diamonds in the dim pre-dawn light. Pulling his snow jacket around himself tighter, Raphael set off for his early morning walk, the snow crunching under his boots.

Despite the cold and the snow, Raphael loved this time of morning, especially out at Casey's farm. It was early enough for a few animals to be awake, mostly bushy tailed squirrels running across the tree branches, and early enough for there to be virtually no noises. It was the silence Raphael enjoyed, and the peace that came with it.

The first few rays of the sun lit the sky a rich gold, as it slowly climbed the horizon, telling Raphael that he had been walking for close to an hour now. Deciding it was a good time to head back; Raphael turned around and started back the way he came. He could practically smell April's and Mikey's cooking, and pictured a tabled filled with freshly baked bread, sizzling bacon and eggs, and mugs of steaming hot chocolate. The thought made Raphael's stomach growl in hunger.

Absently patting his stomach, Raphael was lost in his own thoughts. He didn't hear the sound of something large moving very close to him until he stepped into the clearing, which by then was too late.

A large brown bear looked up from where it had been digging through the snow. Raphael froze, his breath hitching in his throat. Brown bears were a rare sight around here, but not uncommon. What _was _uncommon was seeing one so early. Most bears would have been in hibernation, sleeping the winter away in a cave or a hollow in a tree. But this bear looked hungry, hungry enough to wake up early in search of food.

The bear was a female, if its size was any indicator, and it didn't look happy. Locking eyes with Raphael, the bear growled and took a threatening step forward, head bowed and muscles tense, ready to charge. Raphael thought quickly; he knew that, if you ever come face to face with a bear, not to run and make yourself look as less-threatening as possible, or lay face-down on the ground, not moving. Raphael knew it was not a good idea to run, but with the look the bear was giving him, he knew it would still attack if he were lying motionlessly on the ground.

Taking a slow, cautious step back, Raphael's eyes never left the bear, holding his breath as he waited to see what the bear's reaction would be.

The bear growled louder this time, taking a step closer. Raphael could tell the bear was moments away from charging. Praying that he was close to the farmhouse, and cursing himself for not bringing his sai, Raphael turned and bolted. He could hear the bear crashing through the snow behind him at an alarming speed. He knew bears were fast, but he had hoped that the thick snow would slow the bear down. Alas, the snow only seemed to slow _him _down.

Risking a glance behind him, Raphael didn't see the tree root covered in a thin dusting of snow. Running straight into it, he snagged his foot in the root. Unbalanced, Raphael pitched forward, falling head over heels down a steep embankment. Groaning, Raphael pushed himself onto his feet, waiting for the world to stop spinning.

He felt his heart crawl up his throat when he saw the bear making its way down the embankment, eyes locked on its prey; Raphael. Looking around quickly, Raphael lunged towards a branch that had been snapped in half during his fall, using the two broken ends as crude swords. The bear leapt at him in the same instant, as if knowing he where going for the sticks. Raphael had time to turn around before the bear crashed into him. Raphael hit the ground with a _thud, _but managed to keep a hold of the branches. The weight of the bear pushed him deeper into the snow, crushing him.

Pushing against the bear, Raphael tried to cut the bear's exposed throat, but its thick, shaggy hair prevented him from even nicking the skin. The bear roared and exposed its long, yellow teeth, its beady black eyes filled with rage. Adrenaline kicking in, Raphael managed to flip himself over, exposing his shell to the bear as he tried to pull himself from under it.

Agonizing pain suddenly flared in his right arm. Raphael screamed as the bear's long teeth sank into his flesh, ripping through the thick snow jacket. Hot blood ran down his arm and dripped onto the snow, turning it scarlet. With his free arm, Raphael managed to punch the bear in the nose. Letting go of his arm, the bear stumbled back, crinkling its nose in anger. Raphael leapt to his feet and made a dash for it, but the bear was quicker. Slicing its front paw across Raphael's chest, the bear lunged a second time, one paw pinning Raphael down. Raphael struggled violently, the curved claws of the bear's front paws shredding his clothes and leaving long gashes in his plastron. Sharp pain raced down Raphael's leg as he landed funny, the bear's full weight pinning his leg down.

With a final surge of adrenaline, Raphael managed to poke the bear in the eyes with one of his branches. The bear roared in pain and instantly let go of Raphael, stumbling back and shaking its giant head, blood running down from its ruined eye.

Clambering to his feet, Raphael limped away from the bear. He froze when he heard a crack under his foot. Glancing over his shoulder, Raphael realized with a jolt of fear that he was standing on the edge of a frozen lake.

The bear growled and walked cautiously towards Raphael, the scratch on its face forgotten. Raphael took another step back, the ice groaning under his weight, but staying firm. _I just have to stay here. The bear won't follow me onto the ice._

But the bear _did _follow him. Ever so slowly it placed its front two paws onto the ice, before stepping on completely. The ice groaned again, louder this time, and Raphael could make out the fine network of cracks that started to form, transparent veins in ice.

_Oh God, it is following me! _Raphael thought, heart pounding wildly in his chest. The bear looked down at the cracked ice before taking another step towards Raphael. He could feel the ice shudder under him, as the network of cracks grew larger. Growling in annoyance, the bear took another step, quicker this time. The ice cracked and the bear's front paw broke through the ice. With a howl, the bear toppled forward, falling with a _crash _onto the ice. Large cracks split the ice, as the bear fell through into the frigid dark water.

Raphael's body went numb as he saw the cracks race towards him, and only had a moment to think before the ice gave way under him and he plunged into the darkness.

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**A/n: **Reviews are always appreciated. Thank you for reading!

~Cat


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

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Mikey woke with a yawn, indulging himself in a luxurious stretch. He had never had a better sleep in his life. Warm from the flickering fire, surrounded by his brothers, and a stomach full of home-made broth and chocolate chip cookies.

Sunlight filtered through the window, pooling on the floor and lighting the room in a soft, golden glow. The fire was nearly gone, only a few amber flames remained, dancing on the hot coals. The room was empty, everyone already up and about. Mikey glanced at the ticking clock on the wall, reading 8:12; a good sleep-in by any standards. It was much too cold for Leo to be waking them at their normal time at six for morning practise. That was one thing about winter that Mikey liked; that and the food.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes he stumbled into the kitchen. Don was already at the table, steaming coffee mug in hand. April was washing dishes at the sink and Casey was leaning against the bench, looking out the window at the snow-covered scape.

"Morning everyone," Mikey greeted, taking a seat across from Donnie.

"Hey Mikey," April greeted with a smile. "Ready to make this cake today?"

"You bet," Mikey said with a grin. He and April had plans on making a very rich chocolate cake from scratch, experimenting a little along the way.

"Can't wait," Don said, taking a sip of his coffee. "By the time we get back to New York we'll have all gained seven pounds with the way you two cook."

"Where are the others?" Mikey asked.

"Leo an' Master Splinter where out in the barn meditating and I heard Raph leave early this morning, probably gone off on one of his walks," Casey answered, tearing his gaze away from the window.

"I hope he took a snow jacket with him," April said with a frown, looking out at the snow-laden clouds that filled the sky. "It's very cold out there, and by the looks of it it's going to snow again soon."

"Don't worry about Raph," Casey said, waving off April's concern. "You know how he is; can't stay still for too long. He'll be back before you know it."

Just then Leo and Master Splinter entered the house, shaking off snow and hanging their jackets along the wall. "Gosh it's getting cold out there," Leo said, rubbing his hands together in an effort to warm them up.

"I'll get some more wood for the fire," Casey said. "Before it all freezes out there."

April watched Casey leave before turning back to the others. "Breakfast is ready, there's bacon and eggs on the counter, and toast is coming."

"Mmm April, this smells amazing," Mikey said with a grin, eagerly helping himself to a large portion of the food.

"Hey, leave some for the rest of us," Leo laughed, plucking the leftovers away from Mikey.

"So, Miss O'Neil," Master Splinter said whilst pouring himself a cup of tea, "what are your plans for today?"

"Mikey and I are going to experiment a little," April said with a smile. "Expect a treat tonight for dessert."

"Sounds lovely, Miss O'Neil," the aged rat said with a smile, taking a sip from his teacup.

April smiled and turned to look back out the window. Already the sky had turned grey, filled with clouds that were so dark they were nearly black. A strong wind had picked up, rattling the old windows and doors. The first few flakes of snow had begun falling, and were steadily becoming bigger and heavier.

"I'm worried about Raph," April said, looking over her shoulder at Leo, her brow creased with concern. "The weather's really picked up; I think we're going to get a pretty bad storm."

"Give him another hour," Casey spoke up, leaning back casually in his chair, arms folded behind his head. "He's probably just burning off some excess energy. If he's not back by nine I'll go looking for him.

April chanced a sideways glance out the window again, watching the falling snow. It was really starting to pick up outside. Biting her lip, April prayed that Raphael would be back soon. _He will, _she thought to herself. _He'll walk in through the door in a few minutes, complaining about how cold it is and asking if there's any food left._

But a small part of April's mind begged to differ, telling her that he could be stuck out there right now, injured and alone. Trying to ignore the voice, April finished washing the dishes and closed the curtains. She didn't want to look at the snow any more.

* * *

The water was everywhere, dark and pulsating, and for a moment, Raphael believed it to be alive. It dragged him under, deeper and deeper into the watery depths, confusing him and disorienting him. He gagged on it, choked on it, and watched helplessly as little bubbles, his much needed oxygen, filtered away from him. It was cold, so very, very cold. His mind went into shock and his body instantly turned numb. It was like his veins had been turned to ice, and he was freezing from the inside out, as the coldness raced to his heart.

Through the numbness he felt something brush against his leg. Looking down, he realized with a jolt that his numb fingers were still wrapped around the two broken off sticks. How he had managed to keep a hold of them, he didn't know, but Raphael realized that he had just been thrown a lifeline, and he'd be damned if he didn't use it.

With renewed determination, Raphael forced his arms to move, pushing and clawing his way through the water to the small beam of sunlight he could see ahead of him. He realized he hadn't been as deep as he initially thought, breaking the surface with a choked gasp, just before his lungs felt like they were going to burst. Lifting his arms, which felt as if they had been filled with quickly hardening cement, Raphael managed to dig the sticks into the ice, praying that it would not give way. Thanking every deity he knew, Raphael made sure the sticks were dug in firmly before pulling himself out slowly.

A cry of pain was ripped from his throat as white hot pain shot down his right leg and pulsated in his ankle. His arms began to tremble, and the bite from the bear on his arm and loss of blood made his vision distort. Swaying dangerously, Raphael only just managed to keep a numb hold of the sticks. His breathing became heavy and the racking shivers coursed through his body. He had only managed to drag the top half of his torso out of the frigid water. The rest of his body was still immerged in the black water, and the coldness was starting to turn into a sharp, stinging pain.

"Come on," Raphael grunted, trying to pull himself out of the water once more. But it was as if all his strength had left him, and he slumped in defeat against the ice.

Glancing at the sticks dug into the edge of the ice, and his trembling hands, Raphael prayed that someone would find him soon. Because he wouldn't be able to hold on for much longer.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

An hour had passed and the predicted storm was brewing. An icy wind had picked up, bending the trees double with its force. The sky had turned completely black, thick clouds heavy with their burden of snow blocking out the sun's rays. Snow had started to fall, softly had first, but was quickly getting heavier. The temperature had dropped several degrees, and Casey could start to feel the chill inside the farmhouse.

They had gone around the house making sure that every door and every window were firmly closed. They had stocked the fire, and kept a pile of firewood in the living room, ready to news when needed. The fireplace was lit, and the amber flames licked eagerly at the cut wood and kindling.

Master Splinter sat close to the fire, a cup of tea left untouched on his lap. April sat beside him, leaning forward anxiously, her hands clasped in front of her. Mikey and Don were sprawled out in front of the fire, neither of them saying much. Leo stood with his back to the fire, his fists clenched by his sides as he stared stoically out the window.

"We can't wait any longer," Casey finally spoke up, stopping his agitated pacing to look at the others.

"Casey's right," Leo said, turning away from the window. "We have to find him."

"We should split up," Donnie said, getting to his feet. "In this weather, we need to cover as much ground as we can as quickly as we can."

"Alright, Mikey, you and Casey search in the woods; Don and I will go along the field that cuts off near the road."

"I believe that Donatello should stay here," Master Splinter spoke up, his ears pressed flat against his head with worry. "If Raphael is indeed injured, Donatello will have to remain here so that he can be treated."

"But what about Casey?" Mikey asked. "He can't go off by himself."

"Yes I can," Casey said. "I know this place better than all of you. Hell, I know it better than the back of my own hand. I'll be fine by myself."

"You all need to rug up," April said, opening the hallway closet to where all their winter attire was stored. "Jumpers, gloves, beanies, you'll need it all."

"And take you shell-cells with you," Don added as they begun to pull layer upon layer over themselves. "Call in as soon as you find something."

"Will do, Don," Leo said, awkwardly pulling on a pair of snow-gloves.

"Be careful," Master Splinter said, bowing his head. 'Bring Raphael home."

* * *

Casey trudged through the snow, amazed at how much there was. The storm was definitely picking up, the icy winds threatening to topple him over and rip his hat and gloves free from his body. The howling of the wind was so loud; it nearly completely drowned out Casey's voice as he called desperately for his friend.

The falling snow made it hard to see. Six times now Casey had run into a tree or tripped over a log because of it. He was worried that, because it was getting so hard to see, he may have walked past Raphael's unconscious body already, and wouldn't have even known.

"Raph! Raph, can you hear me?" Casey called, the wind snatching his voice away. There was no reply.

Casey had been searching for a little over twenty minutes now, and despite all the layers he was wrapped in, he was starting to shiver from the cold. He knew that if they didn't find Raphael soon, they would probably freeze out here.

Thumbling for his shell-cell, Casey flipped it open and pressed it close to his ear, pressing speed dial.

"Casey?" Leo's voice came over from the other end. "Have you found anything?"

"Nada," Casey shook his head, even though he knew Leo wouldn't be able to see the movement. "What about you guys? Had any luck at all?"

"Nothing," Leo sighed and Casey could hear the fear and frustration evident in his voice. "We're going to check out near the barn."

"Good idea, I'm going to head over towards the lake," Casey said. "If there's no sign of him there…"

He let the thought trail off. He knew they were both thinking it; they couldn't risk staying out for much longer, whether they found Raphael or not.

"Don't worry, Leo, we'll find him," Casey said with determination. He wasn't about to leave his best friend out here, alone and freezing.

"Yeah, I know we will," Leo said after a moment. 'Call as soon as you find anything."

Casey stuffed the phone back into his pocket and headed off in the direction of the lake. The lake was a beautiful place to visit in summer. Situated on a low embankment, at the bottom of a hill, the clear water warmed by the summer sun was a frequent visiting place for the turtles when they visited.

Casey climbed over the rise, stopping to look down at the frozen lake sprawled in front of him. Casey squinted his eyes against the falling snow, his heart starting to beat faster in his chest. He prayed that what he thought he saw was just a trick of the light, but the more he looked, the more certain he knew what had happened.

Casey felt his blood freeze in his veins as he saw the gaping hole in the ice, a pool of thick, black water lapping against the harsh white of the snow, like an obsidian eye on a white beast, mocking Casey with its malevolence.

And instantly, Casey knew what had happened. "Oh no, Raph," he whispered, the blood draining from his face in horror. "Raph!"

Racing towards the lake, Casey carefully stepped out onto the ice, pausing and waiting with baited breath to see if the ice would hold. It did. As carefully and as quickly as he could, Casey made his way towards the hole, the horror in the pit of his stomach growing as he caught sight of fresh blood turning the snow around the ice bright red.

"Raph!' Kneeling as close as he dared next to hole, Casey tried to peer through the dark water for any sign of his friend. Taking a deep breath, Casey plunged his gloved hands into the icy water, feeling around blindly for a shell, an arm, or a coat.

A feeling of immense relief washed through Casey as his numb hands brushed against familiar skin, very cold skin, but skin never the less. Using all the strength he had, Casey fought to keep his balance as he pulled Raphael from the water.

Raphael coughed and spluttered, vomiting up mouthfuls of bile and icy water from his burning lungs.

"Raph, thank god," Casey whispered, wrapping his arms protectively around his friend and pulling him close. "Thank god."

"Casey?" Two slits of amber irises looked up at Casey in confusion, his whole body wracked with violent shivers.

"It's alright buddy, you're going to be okay," Casey said soothingly, edging them back away from the hole in the ice. He didn't want to risk them being too close.

"You're freezing," Casey said, wrapping his arms tighter around Raphael, pulling him in to the warmth of his own body. Trying to remember the little first aid that he knew, Casey pulled back, taking in Raphael's blue tinged lips and soaked clothes.

"I need to get you out of these things," Casey muttered, more to himself than Raph. Quickly, he unzipped Raphael's snow jacket and started to peel off the layers of sopping wet clothes from Raphael's almost frozen skin.

Casey froze when he pulled the final layer off and saw the deep gauges in Raphael's shoulder and chest. The icy water must have done something to help slow down the bleeding, for the wounds were not bleeding as much as Casey knew they should. Instead, only a thin trail of scarlet oozed from the wounds, and even they looked as if they were almost frozen solid.

Thanking every God he knew, Casey wrapped his arms around his friend and pulled him in for a tight hug. He was alive, he was injured yes, and in danger of getting sever hypothermia, but he was alive, and at the moment, that was all Casey cared about.

"It's okay Raph," Casey whispered, hugging his friend closer as he felt him shiver violently. "You're safe now; everything's going to be okay."

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**A/n: **Oooh, Casey's found Raph, but he's not out of the woods yet! One or two more chapters to go, which I hope to write soon. Thanks for all the feedback so far :)

~Cat


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Casey's mind went into overdrive as he ran through a list of possibilities of ailments that Raphael could now be susceptible to. The first on the top of the list was hypothermia, which, as the minutes ticked by, Casey was positive Raphael had acquired. The next was frostbite. However after stripping Raphael of his soggy clothes, Casey had not found any signs of frostbite, but a rather large bite wound on his shoulder and chest, and discovered that Raphael's right ankle was broken. He knew this by the bruising and swelling of his leg, start from halfway up his calf and disappearing into Raphael's snow boot. Knowing it was better to leave the boot on; he was sure he would only cause more harm if he tried to remove, he also knew that if he took the shoe off, Raphael's foot would freeze within minutes.

"Hang tight buddy," I'm going to find something to splint your ankle," Casey murmured to the half-conscious turtle.

He was already bone cold and exhausted from dragging Raphael off the ice and into the snow bank. The daunting task of trying to get him back up the hill and the three kilometres back to the farmhouse was something Casey didn't want to spend too much time dwelling on.

Glancing over his shoulder to make sure Raphael was still okay; Casey headed over towards the tree line and furiously began to dig in the freezing snow. He managed to find two sticks, both roughly the same size. Running back over to the quickly deteriorating Raphael, Casey used the cord that was in his jumper to splint Raphael's ankle.

"Here buddy, you're freezing," Casey murmured to the shivering turtle, pulling his thick snow jacket off and putting it on Raphael. Casey also took off his gloves and slipped them on the turtle's frozen hands.

"th-th-thhh-anks," Raphael managed to say through blue lips.

"Come on, I'm gonna get you home," Casey said, wrapping his arm around Raphael and helping him to his feet.

Raphael grunted at the pain and automatically shrunk closer to Casey for warmth. Casey wrapped his arm around him tighter, and together they slowly and painfully made their way up the steep snow-covered bank.

Once they had reached the top of the bank, Casey gently sat Raphael down on a nearby log. The short trip had drained what little energy Raphael had left. He held his ankle painfully off the ground, unable to put any pressure on it, and was shivering uncontrollably, that for a minute Casey thought he was going to fall off the log.

"Hang tight buddy, we're gonna get you home,"

Stepping away from Raphael, Casey pulled out the small radio from his pocket.

"Leo. Come in Leo."

"Casey, what is it? Have you found anything?" Leo's voice came through the radio, fuzzy and somewhat distorted.

"Yeah, I found him," Casey said.

"How is he? Is he-

"He's alive," Casey said, cutting off Leo's frantic questions. "I found him half submerged in the lake. He's freezing, and I think he has hypothermia and possibly a broken ankle. He can't walk and I can't carry him."

"Stay where you are; I'll come and get you."

"We're a few metres from the lake, on top of the bank,"

"I know where that is. Stay put and keep him conscious. I'll be there in five."

Casey sighed and put the little radio back in his pocket. Moving over to Raphael, he sat beside his friend and wrapped his arms around him to keep him warm.

"Leo's on his way. We're get you back to the house in no time,"

Raphael nodded his head dropping and his eyes beginning to flutter.

"Hey, you gotta stay awake man," Casey said, feeling panic wash over him as he shook his friend awake. "You can't go to sleep yet, okay? Now tell me what happened? It's not like you to go for an early morning swim in this weather."

"Bear,"

"What?" Casey frowned, leaning closer to his friend to hear his muffled words.

"Bear," Raphael repeated, looking past Casey's shoulders, his dull eyes wide with fear.

Casey glanced over his shoulder and froze. A brown bear, obviously female by her size, stood only ten metres away, head bowed and ready to charge, a low growl rumbling in its throat.

Casey leapt to his feet, moving to stand protectively in front of Raphael. There was no doubt that this bear was angry, and Casey knew it was only seconds away from charging. Looking around desperately for some sort of weapon, Casey picked up a large fallen tree branch, swinging it around like a bat.

The bear charged.

Casey ran to meet it, hoping to steer it away from his injured friend. He heard Raphael cry out after him, but he ignored him as he swung the branch at the bear. The bear growled loudly and swiped a paw at Casey. Ducking quickly, Casey leapt to the side and rolled, coming quickly to his feet. The bear leapt at him again, and Casey managed to wake it across the nose with his make-shift bat. The bear howled in anger and pain, whirling around to charge at Casey.

Keeping the tree branch held protectively in front of him, Casey backed up slowly, trying to put some distance between himself and the enraged animal. But the bear charged, teeth bared and head bowed. Casey stumbled and hit the ground, looking up in horror at the bear that was quickly closing in on him. Bringing a hand up to shield his face, Casey turned his head and closed his eyes tightly, waiting for the impact he knew was to come.

But it didn't.

A loud cry split the air, followed by more angry growls from the bear.

Lowering his arm and opening his eyes, Casey stared in shock as Leo leapt out from the snow-covered trees, swords in hand as he charged at the bear. Swinging his katanna, Leo slashed the bear across the eyes, blinding it. The bear roared and shook its head in pain, crimson drops falling to the snow around it.

With a fierce cry, Leo leapt at the bear and drove his katanna straight through the bear's thick fur and into its chest. The bear fell heavily to the snow and didn't get back up.

Panting heavily, Leo cleaned his katanna in the snow before sheathing them behind his shell. Extending a hand to Casey, he helped him to his feet.

"Thanks," Casey panted with a lopsided smile. "Thought I was a goner there for a second."

"Nah, we ninjas have perfect timing," Leo said.

Casey turned his head to make sure that Raphael was still sitting safely on his log. His heart froze and his face paled.

"Raph!"

Leo swung around to follow Casey's gaze. Raph had slumped to the ground in a heap, unmoving and unresponsive.

Leo rushed to his little brother's side, gently rolling him onto his shell.

"He's unconscious," Leo said with a sigh. "We have to get him back to the house, now."

Nodding, Casey helped Leo carry Raphael between them. His skin was ice cold, and his breath came in wheezing gasps.

Trying to keep him as warm as they could, they hurried back to the farm house, praying that Raphael could hold on for just a little while longer.

* * *

**A/n: I apologise for the long wait on this. When I wrote the first chapter of this story I had hoped that I would have it finished within a week or two. Sadly, that was not the case. But nevertheless, only one more chapter to go. Fingers crossed that this last update will be quicker.**

**Also, check out my profile page for story stats and updates :)**

**Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think :)**

**~Cat**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Raphael awoke with a groan. Pain lanced his body, and his skin felt like he was on fire. His throat was raw, and a dull throb in his right ankle made him wince. Golden eyes fluttering open, Raphael blinked at the bright light overhead. He was dazed and confused, and couldn't remember where he was or what had happened to make him feel this confused. After a few minutes, his senses started to adjust, and the fog on his brain started to clear.

He was lying on a lounge, a pillow tucked under his head and several blankets covering his whole body. There was a fire place in the corner, warm and flickering scarlet flames. He was in a small room, which he quickly identified as Casey's farmhouse.

"What tha'?" Raphael muttered, trying to sit up.

"Take it easy Raph, try not to move."

Raphael blinked and saw Donnie leaning down next to him, his eyes gentle and filled with concern.

"What happened?" Raphael mumbled, letting his head fall back onto the pillow.

"Leo and Casey brought you back," Don said. "They found you in the lake."

Memories washed over Raphael like a wave, making him cringe. He remembered now; the early morning walk, the bear, the lake, the cold, cold water… Raphael shuddered at the memories.

"You're lucky Leo and Casey found you when they did," Donnie said. "You have quite bad frostbite to your legs, and a bad case of hypothermia. Any longer in that water and I would have had to amputate your legs."

Raphael watched as Donnie gently lifted up the blanket, showing Raphael his legs. They were a deep purple, laced with black and blue patches that went all the way up to his thighs. His right ankle was splintered and heavily bandaged. More bandages wrapped around his chest where the bear had clawed him. Another bandaged was wrapped around his arm where the bear had sunken its teeth into his flesh.

"You're lucky to be alive Raph," Donnie murmured, pulling the blankets back over him. "That bear could have killed, as easily as the snow could have."

"I know Donnie, I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

"I know, we don't blame you Raph. We're just glad you're okay," Don said with a faint smile. "Here," he said, reaching down and picking up a mug, "you need to drink this."

Raphael took the cup and gulped down the contents. Coughing and spluttering, Raphael pushed the mug back at Don.

"What the hell is this stuff?"

"It's water Raph," Don said with a bemused expression.

"Are you kidding me? I nearly drowned in that stuff," Raphael grumbled.

"I know, but you need to keep hydrated," Donnie said, getting to his feet. "I'll get the others, they'll be glad to know you're awake."

Raphael sighed and lay back down on the pillow, the short period of alertness making him feel weak and tired. Raphael didn't like it.

"Hey, glad to see you awake sunshine!" a familiar voice called across the room.

Raphael looked up to see the beaming face of his best friend Casey.

"Hey Case," Raph managed a smile. "Who ya' callin' sunshine?"

"Glad to see you back to your old, grumpy self," Casey smirked, clapping him on his good shoulder. "Your brothers have been worried sick man."

As he said this the others emerged, their eyes heavy and their faces drawn, but smiles of relief touched all their faces.

"Hey guys," Raph greeted, "sorry about, you know."

"We're just glad you're okay," Leo said, coming to stand beside his brother.

"Yeah, you could have turned into a turtle-pop out there!" Mikey exclaimed.

"Well if Casey hadn't of found you in time, that would have been the case," Leo said.

Raphael looked up at his friend in shock. "You found me?"

"Yep, half under the ice. Soon as I found ya' I dragged your frozen arse out of the water and up the hill. But I tell ya', if Leo hadn't of come when he did, we would both be bear chow."

"So what happened out there?" April asked.

Raphael sighed and shook his head. "I went for a walk, in retrospect probably wasn't the greatest idea. But there was this bear wandering about; I thought for sure they were supposed to be hibernating. Guess it was hungry because when it saw me it charged; knocked me down a hill. I thought it wouldn't follow me onto the ice but it did. Stupid animal fell into the water the same time I did. O thought it was dead but it must have gotten out somehow. I thought I was a goner, went under a few times and only had my sai to try and hold on to. I don't really remember anything after that."

"You are very lucky my son," Master Splinter said. "Thankfully, I get to return home with all of my sons, and not just three."

"Hai Sensei, I'm sorry."

"You are not to blame, Raphael,"

"So, will he be alright?" Mikey asked.

Don nodded. "With a lot of rest he should be back on his feet in no time. Thanks to Casey and Leo."

"Yeah, thanks," Raphael said, turning to look at Casey and Leo. "I owe you guys my life."

"You'd do the same for us," Leo said with a smile.

"Yeah, definitely," Raphael laughed.

"I think," Master Splinter said slowly, a small smile tugging at his lips, "that next year it might be safer if we stayed in the sewers."

-End-

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**A/n: **Thank you all for reading; I hope you enjoyed this short story. Thank you for all the feedback and favourites!

Until next time,

~Cat


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